Umm Salal Mohammed

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Umm Salal Muhammad is a town in Qatar, located in the Umm Salal municipality, about 15 km north of Doha. An easy and pleasant morning or afternoon trip out of Doha, it is a short drive from the northern outskirts of Doha on the North Road to Al-Ruweis.

The Route 102 bus (timetable[dead link]) towards Al Thakhira passes through the town, leaving Al Ghanim Bus Station in Doha. The bus has a frequency of about half an hour and will reach the town in 50 minutes. There are different timetables for Saturday-Thursday and Fridays. Be aware that buses can be affected by service changes and disruptions, so it is recommended you call Mowasalat to confirm first on +974 4458 8888.

To get to Umm Salal Mohammed by car, take the Doha Expressway, named the D-Ring Road in the city, towards the north for about 15 minutes until a sign will indicate the turn off to Umm Salal Mohammed. Once you reach the town, take a right at the main intersection to reach the fort, which you are likely to have already spotted by this time. The tower is west of the fort and you should be able to see it by climbing to the top of the mosque or either of the two towers within the fort. The distance from central Doha is about 20km, equating to 25 minutes on the road.

25.41795751.4133271Barzan Towers (Umm Salal Mohammed Fort Towers). 24 hrs. A pair of watchtowers built in the late 19th century. They were completely rebuilt in 2003, complete with air conditioners, and are no longer truly 'authentic', but it is worthwhile to climb the towers which offer good views of the surrounding village. Photographing the towers can be good in either the early morning or late afternoon, though if you want to take a picture of the front of the mosque, which faces east, it is better to go in the morning.Free.

25.41744351.4040362Umm Salal Fortress (to the west of the Barzan Towers). This tower was built as a residence for Sheikh Jasim Bin Mohammed al Thani in the late 19th century. The building is still inhabited and is not open to the public, but can be viewed from the outside.

25.47699551.4037083Prehistoric grave mounds, Umm Salal Ali (north of Umm Salal Mohammad, just off Umm Shamal Rd). These burial mounds on the northern edge of the village are believed to date back to the Dilmun culture of 3000 BCE.Free.

25.50153351.4788114Al Wsel Archeological Site, off of the Al Khor Coastal Rd (accessible only with 4WD and GPS). 24 hrs. This site was inhabited from the 7th to the 1st centuries BCE, and the remains of numerous dwellings and towers, as well as graves, can be found scattered across the area. The most interesting structures are circular arrangements of stone slabs on the ground, currently speculated to mark grave sites.Free.